It is possible to connect two devices in a network such that, rather than one device acting as a server or host and the other as a client, the two devices have equal and flexible standing. This is known as a peer-to-peer network.
Although the devices are treated as peers in the formation of the network, the channel and other attributes are conventionally determined by one of the devices, known as a group owner. This is commonly a computing device such as a laptop. The other device, which may for example be a docking station, is known as the client.
In the current art, a first device transmits a list of channels that it supports as a group owner to another device when seeking to connect with another device. The second device's behaviour changes depending on whether it is the group owner or the client: if it is determined that it is the group owner, it must select a channel for the connection that is supported by both devices as group owner, whereas if it is determined that it is the client it transmits a list of channels it supports back to the first device, which is then able to select from among them. This means that the behaviour of the system changes depending on whether the first device is determined to be the group owner or the client, which is in itself undesirable, and also effectively rules out many available channels with most combinations of peers. An example of peer-to-peer group owner determination may be found in WO 2011/041735.
Furthermore, although Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) channels are available, they have stringent monitoring and use requirements, which many devices are incapable of providing as group owner, even though they can communicate over these channels as a client. As well as limiting the channels available, this means that the 5 GHz wireless band cannot be used efficiently. At present only one 80 MHz channel is available in the UK and two in the US unless the DFS channels can be used.
The invention aims to solve or at least mitigate these problems.